With the increasing pressure Universities and Society is putting on students to do well and go above and beyond, it’s pretty normal to feel a little burdened. If you’re feeling overwhelmed in your WIL course, or just any course, seek help. It’s okay. More people than you think actively go to therapy sessions and seek out counseling. Believe it or not, counselors are there to, you know, actually counsel people.
If during your WIL experience you become unwell, it is imperative that you notify all the relevant parties that should be told should you be unable to attend a day for any reason. These include your course co-ordinator, managers and workplace supervisors
Where can I go for support?
Now you may be asking, what support is available to me for my WIL experience? The place to start with any course is your course co-ordinator — they may be able to work something out for you. If you’re doing an industry placement or related WIL experience, you could even go to your industry supervisor and talk to them about how you’re struggling with the workload or the content (if it’s particularly hard, maybe you’re working in a medical environment, or perhaps heavy, maybe you’re working with refugees or domestic violence victims).
UQ Student Services also offers a variety of Wellbeing programs — from counselors to art therapy to dogs! Reach out to them or access their webpage on Wellbeing.
As WIL experiences are accredited and therefore part of a course that goes towards your degree, your WIL experience can be provided for in your Student Access Plan (SAP). If you live with a disability or you have special circumstances and you’re unsure what an SAP is and you’re currently enrolled at UQ, we advise you to contact Student Services and organise to see a Diversity, Disability and Inclusion Advisor to set one up for you in order to help you succeed in your studies. Additionally, your Advisor can help you set up Participation Assistance, which may help those living with a disability or circumstance that prevents or hinders them from participating. Explore the disability page on student services for more info.